The VIC-3D™ Measurement System

The VIC-3D™ Measurement System is a turn-key non-contact measurement solution for measuring
full-field displacements and strains utilizing Digital Image Correlation (DIC) with a pair of stereo-
mounted digital cameras. The VIC-3D™ system offers researchers and engineers unmatched speed
and accuracy for a wide range of quasi-static and dynamic applications. This datasheet explains some
of the features and specifications of the system with proven accuracy, and often the system achieves
measurement resolutions far better than what is listed. Please contact sales@correlatedsolutions.com
for more details.

Above: The VIC-3D™ 5.0MP System

The VIC-3D™ Measurement System Specifications:
VIC-3D is offered as either a turnkey deformation measurement system for 2D and 3D speckle
correlation measurements, or as a software-only solution compatible with almost any industrial digital
camera. The system includes the following features:

• Full-field measurement of
o 3D coordinates
o 3D displacements
o 3D velocities
o Strain tensor, major and minor strains
• High strain resolution: 0.005% (50 microstrain) or better
• Strain measurement range from 0.005% (global) to 2,000% or higher possible
• In-plane resolution up to 1/100,000 * FOV or better.
• Out-of-plane resolution up to 1/50,000 * FOV or better.
• Image formats: Most standard image formats that do not employ lossy compression are
supported directly (tiff, pgm, bmp, pnm, etc.)
• Software licenses: The system will come with image acquisition and analysis software
preinstalled on a desktop or laptop computer. An additional license will be provided on a USB
dongle. This dongle permits execution of the analysis software on any computer the user
chooses.
• Data Export: Data can be exported in Tecplot, ASCII as well as spreadsheet-compatible (e.g.,
Microsoft Excel) files. Other formats can be supported on request as part of technical support.
• Software Interoperability: On Microsoft Windows systems, Correlated Solutions software is
fully integrated with Cut&Paste functionality. All graphs and plots can be copied directly into
any office suite software or saved in compatible image or video formats.
• Analog Data recording: The system is capable of acquiring external analog voltages
simultaneously with the image acquisition. Several acquisition systems are available, depending
on the number of analog channels required. All analog voltage measurements can be added to
the VIC-3D project for use and manipulation as a measurement variable
• The data density is freely selectable by the user by varying the spacing between analysis points.
• The analysis software includes graphical display of deformations and strain distributions over a
3D depiction of the geometry of the test article.
• The analysis software includes graphical display of all data as an overlay over the image taken
of the test article with user-selectable transparency.
• The analysis software includes post-processing features such as minimum/maximum, mean and
standard deviation, time-slice extraction, stress-strain curve generation, data extraction along
lines, etc.
• The analysis software includes the capability to generate compressed AVI animations of strain
distributions both from 3D and image-overlay contour plots.
• A video player with adjustable frame rate, single step functionality and zooming is included for
data display.
• The analysis software is capable of automatic start point generation and sequence analysis. The
software includes advanced predictive algorithms for both spatial as well as temporal start point
generation.
• The analysis software provides a variety of methods to select coordinate systems and transform
coordinate systems. The coordinate system can be selected from markers on the test article.
• The analysis software includes a method to integrate data from multiple systems viewing
adjacent parts of a test article into a common coordinate system.
• The acquisition and analysis software both include an automated calibration method based on
photogrammetry and calibration targets. The calibration can be performed in real-time with the
acquisition software or in post-processing using the analysis software.
• Turnkey systems include a desktop computer* with the following minimum specifications:

o Intel Core i7 3.5GHz Quad-core Processor

o 32 GB RAM
o 250GB SSD Boot Drive + 2TB Storage
o 24” LCD
o DVD-R/W
o Intel® Graphics with 3D acceleration
o Windows 7 Professional
o Microsoft Office

*Laptop or workstation configurations are available (see below)

Above: Computer options available

• Turnkey systems for quasi-static testing include two high-resolution monochrome cameras
with resolutions available from 1 to 29 Megapixels and frame rates from 1Hz to 280Hz.
• Turnkey systems for high-speed / dynamic testing include two high-speed monochrome
digital cameras with frame rates from 500Hz 5MHz.

Above: List of some cameras available

• The system includes one year of technical support via telephone/email and software upgrades.
Technical support is available Mo-Fr 9am-5pm EST. On-site support and consulting is
available. Multiple years can be purchased at a discounted rate.
 • The system includes a one-year replacement warranty for defects in materials and/or
workmanship on all parts. See “Commercial Warranty” document for more details.

• Recent Vic-3D system Enhancements:

o Data Export:
- Data extraction from 3D plots based on user-defined lines and circles
- Node data extraction at points defined by spreadsheet input or manual input (for
FEA/CAD comparison)

Coordinate System:
- Define coordinate system by markers
- Manual coordinate system rotation/translation

VIC-Snap Acquisition:
- FlexCapture for variable frame rates that can be programmed before a test
- Burst mode allowing images to be saved to RAM for short periods of time for faster
acquisition rates
- Support for Photron and Phantom High-Speed Cameras.

o - Support for Cameralink Cameras such as Basler & Point Grey Research Gazelle
Cameras.
- Vic-Snap Stage control for Questar Motorized Stages (Typically for the Vic-3D
Micro™ System).

Marker Tracking:
- added tools to VIC-3D that allow "bow-tie" and circular markers to be tracked in three
dimensions

Vic-3D Standard Features:

• Analysis speed has been greatly improved with new DIC algorithms.
• Analysis is fully multi-threaded, taking advantage of new multi-core computer system
architectures.
• Improved accuracy: The accuracy of the DIC algorithms has been improved through highly
optimized interpolation filters.
• Improved accuracy: A new optimized 8-tap filter is available for higher accuracy, particularly in
images with very fine speckle and small amounts of aliasing.
• Plotting system has been enhanced with properly labeled Z-axes, customizable contour label
spacing, customizable number formats etc.
• Auto and user-scaling has been improved and is more intuitive to use.
• Line extractions can now be animated along with the contour plots.
• Confidence estimates on matching performance. The software now reports the matching
confidence (sigma) in pixels instead of the correlation value. This gives direct feedback on the
data quality.
• Robustness. The analysis algorithms have been made more robust and produce fewer outliers.
• Improved initial guess algorithm. A much more robust automatic initial guess algorithm has
been incorporated, virtually eliminating the need to manually initialize the analysis.
• The calibration point extraction has been greatly improved to be more robust, fully automatic
and much faster, particularly for large images.
• Confidence margins on calibration parameters. The software now reports confidence margins on
all calibration parameters to provide better feedback on calibration quality.
• Improved real-time module: The real-time module has been greatly enhanced for live data
display during tests. The new real-time module takes full advantage of the performance
improvements in the analysis code.
• Improved strain calculation algorithm with greatly reduced boundary effects.
• Additional strain tensors are now available (Euler tensor and logarithmic strain for both
Lagrangian and Eulerian representations)
• Computation of comparison strain according to von-Mises and Tresca criterion for quick
evaluation of "hot spots"
• Integration of infrared cameras. IR cameras can be calibrated and temperature data can be
extracted with sub-pixel accuracy.
• Improved calibration procedures for flexible coordinate system transformations.
• This enables calibrating a third camera, or calibrating several stereo systems together without
time-consuming data stitching.
• Improved auto-scaling mechanism for scaling plot ranges to an entire sequence.
• Interface for marker editor
• Project file format for improved performance (the old format is still supported for backwards
compatibility).
• Improved data export and support for new file formats (Matlab).
• Improved support for stereo-microscope systems (add-on module). Calibration is now
automated and distortion removal has been fully integrated (no more separate image pre-
processing).
• Improved help system with integrated full-text search.
• Completely new tools for drawing AOI's and setting up initial guesses.
• Uncertainty measures available for position and displacement data.
• Improved parallelization for taking even better advantage of multi-core processors.
• New equation editor with user-selectable constants.
• User interface redesigned for increased ease of use.
• Regenerate your original data at any time with the "Retriangulate" function.
• Calibration process has been streamlined and simplified.
• Strain calculation is now quicker and more accurate.
• Automatic subset size suggestion.
• Multiple start points for increased flexibility and robustness.
Vic-3D New Features:

• New calibration dialogue with automatic spacing detection (requires new coded targets)
• New calibration dialogue with automatic spacing detection (requires new coded targets)
• New displacement units now user selectable (mm, inches, etc)
• New “Paste Mask” feature for saving multiple AOIs with images
• New FFT software module for vibration analysis
• New Forming Limit software module for material characterization
• New Import images via common file naming (no need to select files individually)
• New strain algorithm for increased accuracy
• Improved project saving - analysis settings are now saved with project
• Improved integration - complete calibration within Vic-Snap
• Improved integration - save images and analog data directly to projects
• Improved initial guess window
• Improved stereo system calibration window

Recent Hardware Improvements:

• New re-designed calibration targets with coded spacing: less reflective and more durable
• New support for Camera Link cameras – 4.0 Megapixel @ 140fps, and 2.0 Megapixel @
280fps
• New USB 3.0 camera support (up to 9MP)
• New Dual GigE Camera support (up to 29 Megapixels!)
• New support for FLIR IR cameras
• New and improved LED lighting systems
• New mechanical shutters included in select high-speed camera models for easy black
referencing
• Updated PC: Fastest, most powerful Shuttle PC available to date
• New custom high-speed camera acquisition software for easy file saving and processing.
• New high resolution high-speed camera systems available.
• New cool LED lighting system.
• Improved mounting systems for all camera models.
• Redesigned stereo-microscope system with precise individual camera image adjustment, and a
fully motorized computer-controlled 3-axis precision stage.
• Redesigned stereo-microscope calibration fixture.
• Redesigned CSI aluminum channel analysis cart with rack-mount PC and dual monitors.

Training / Installation Services:

A 2-day training seminar will be held at the customer’s facilities. The seminar will consist of an
introductory course explaining the historical development and the theoretical foundation of the speckle
correlation measurement technology. An overview of the state-of-the-art technology with application
examples will be provided to give attendees an understanding of the scope of measurement problems
to which the technology can be applied. The seminar will continue with a course focused on proper
experimental procedures for successful speckle correlation measurements. The course will discuss
methods of error assessment and will be accompanied by hands-on training.